Sons to honor dad's amazing Colgate hockey team by making documentary

View full sizeSubmitted photo, 2009 Documentary-making brothers Todd (left) and Grant Slater pose in front of the Hamilton Theater during an August 2009 visit to their hometown. They are making a documentary, "The General," about the 1990 Colgate University hockey team, which reached the NCAA championship game while coached by their father, Terry Slater.

Hamilton, NY -- The story of the 1990 Colgate University hockey team that reached the national championships without any scholarship athletes will be the subject of a documentary produced by the sons of the dream team’s coach.

Todd and Grant Slater, who grew up watching their father coach in the quiet Madison County community of Hamilton, announced the project, titled “The General,” at the Sundance Film Festival this week.

Their late father, Terry Slater, took the Red Raiders to the NCAA Tournament’s championship game in 1990. They lost the title to Wisconsin, 7-3, but wrote a new chapter in Colgate’s athletic history.

“This is a tale of David versus Goliath, and how walk-on players, transfers, a group of unknown freshmen and their fiery coach reached incredible success one magical season,” said Grant Slater. “It is a story that will inspire athletes at any level and illustrate that the expectation to succeed is a powerful tool.”

The Slater brothers rekindled their connection to Colgate two years ago, when they founded the Hamilton International Film Festival to bring a touch of Hollywood to their hometown. They will partner with local filmmaker Kenny MacBain for “The General.” The 21-year-old filmmaker’s documentary on the Hamilton Central School soccer dynasty, “The Crown,” was selected for the festival last year from among more than 100 submissions from across Central New York.

MacBain has already started interviewing players from the team, as well as friends and fans from the community. Terry Slater won 251 games in his 15-year tenure as head hockey coach. During the 1990 season, the team boasted 31 wins.

“This is a true underdog story,” MacBain said of the Colgate hockey team. “It’s a story like ‘Miracle (on Ice)’ or ‘Hoosiers’ — it happened once, and people haven’t seen something like that in 20 years.”

This year’s film festival will run Aug. 4-7 , with events and screenings throughout the village of Hamilton. Charity events that weekend will support local organizations.